4.09.2015

Laura Story & HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOSHUA

Today is my amazing little brother's BIRTHDAY! Happy birthday, Bro-Bro!I am so thankful we could celebrate with tons of fun over the weekend. You're awesome and you inspire me very, very much.

A few years ago my mom and I went to a women's event at Autumn Ridge in Rochester. While there, we heard Laura Story perform. She was so wonderful with the audience. Extremely humble and gracious. She has a newer song that's been on the radio a lot lately, "I Can Just Be Me." I really like it. And her song "Blessings" is really powerful, too.

I have been listening to Christian radio more lately in the mornings. I like news and talk radio, too. But sometimes a little encouragement in the musical variety is nice. There's a 5-minute commentary that comes on at 8:30am which is right as I get to work - it's called Guidelines. Sometimes it's excellent; sometimes not...like anything. I liked today's reflection a lot. Here's a link.

I was hesitant to listen to any Christian radio for a long time. Maybe that sounds weird since I love Jesus and am a pastor. But I get really irked by the commentaries on Christian radio sometimes because of they way some hosts and guests interpret God, grace, and the Bible. Sometimes I felt like it was a really narrow, even judgmental approach to faith.

But then I realized recently that my pendulum had swung too far the other way. I was somehow comfortable listening to totally offensive pop/hip hop music that degraded women and family and stable, trusting relationships - but I was not comfortable listening to a station that occasionally propagated conservative Christianity. And that's when I realized I need to rebalance...and maybe be a little less hypocritical. If I am frustrated with unhealthy ideas being shared on one, I should probably be just as frustrated by unhealthy ideas on the other.

So now I listen to a little of this and a little of that - and that feels good! Middle ground!